The Shoot
by NightcatMau
Summary: Set after Dawn of a New Day, the two couples go on holiday. The plot bunny would not leave me alone. Valduggery, Ruvik/Vicky. One-shot.


A/N: I don't own Valkyrie or Skulduggery. Vicky and Ruvik are my OCs though. Photography alert, non shutterbugs may want to run, now. You have been warned. But a plot bunny kept biting me and would not go away. Story is set after Dawn of a New Day.

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><p>Valkyrie woke up and heard movement in the next room. She grinned eagerly to herself and got dressed quickly. She emerged into the kitchen of the small cabin the couples had rented together for a holiday and was happy to see Vicky. "Have we got a case?" She asked, then mentally kicked herself as Vicky looked over from putting water on for coffee. Her photography gear was laid out neatly on the kitchen table.<p>

"No, it's snowing and I want to do some nighttime photography. Sorry I woke you. I'd invite you along but I know you'd think it was boring." She said with a shrug. "Help yourself to some water and take a cup of whatever back to bed. We'll be back in a bit."

She gave Valkyrie a faint smile and turned to assembling her gear. "I'd love to go." Valkyrie said and Vicky looked over from putting her camera, Ruvik, in a plastic bag of some sort.

"It's OK, Val. It's below freezing out there. Get to bed." She said gently but Valkyrie held her ground. The two couples were fast friends and even though she wasn't too fussed about photography she wanted some girl time with Vicky. Vicky shrugged and led the way outside, fairly sure the electric kettle would shut itself off.

Valkyrie gasped as the got outside. Vicky was right, it was freezing but the cold didn't seem to bother her friend. "You're excited, aren't you?" Valkyrie asked as they walked away from the cabin towards a small hill, thier snow boots crunching through the icy crust on the snow as Vicky led the way, her tripod resting easily on one shoulder.

"Yeah, I am. It's like going hunting. But your quarry makes it out alive. Still, it's the challenge, Val. Anyone can take a picture, a photograph's something else entirely." She said happily. The reached the top and she got the tripod ready and Ruvik mounted on top.

"Doesn't that hurt him? I mean he is alive, and why the bag?" Valkyrie asked, trying not to shiver in the bitter wind that seemed to have zero effect on Vicky.

"Snow." Vicky said, pointing upwards. "It can freeze on the camera, get inside. This is downright suicidal to be honest. He's well past the temp range he's designed for." Vicky said happily and Ruvik seemed to agree as she got him adjusted for a shot. She pressed the shutter button and Valkyrie watched her screen go black.

"That's not good, is it?" Valkyrie asked.

"Get out you phone, Val." Vicky said softly in reply. "Aim her at the night sky, thirty second shutter. Go on." Valkyrie did as she was asked, thinking her friend was strange but knowing she couldn't insult her like she could Skulduggery. One bad word and Vicky would close down and stop responding.

"Now for some mortal magic." Vicky said as the time passed and two things happened. First, Ruvik showed a beautiful photo of the night sky in colors Valkyrie had never seen in any sky and then her phone showed her just about the same thing.

"Wow." Valkyrie said, impressed. "I never knew my phone could do that." She admitted. Vicky grinned at her.

"Makes me wish I could see the world the way a camera does, what wonders they must see." She said, setting up another shot. They both took several, then moved on to other places and Valkyrie realized she was enjoying herself and didn't feel the cold now that she was excited. Vicky was right, it was as exciting as chasing down the bad guys in a way. Just with a lot less violence.

"Do you to ever take photos on cases?" She asked and Vicky nodded.

"Our best shots could never be seen by anyone, ever. We had a case once where a tribe of werewolves was infected with a disease that made them hyper aggressive. We were out at night, trying to get photos of their tracks in a snowfall just like this one when it happened."

"What?"

"We were shooting from on top of a hill and suddenly the snow exploded around us and the werewolves had us surrounded. They'd hidden in little warrens they'd made."

"But how did you escape?"

"Ruvik transformed in front of them. I have no idea what he did, he'd put himself in front of me and I couldn't see, but they fled. They ran away like they'd seen something terrible. Now what frightens a werewolf, Val?"

Valkyrie shrugged and forgot it as the discussed other cases and amazing photos. By the time they had walked back to the cabin she couldn't wait to show her photos to Skulduggery. Inside he was up and waiting for them and saw to coffee for them as Ruvik, freed of his tripod was once again the man he'd turned into thanks to Vicky's magic. He shook himself off and mock glared at Vicky, though his mouth turned up in a smile despite his best efforts. "I'm freezing!" He complained. "And you didn't think to see if I was dry, I bet I got water inside of me and I'm about to die." He said and Vicky smiled at him fondly.

Valkyrie realized Ruvik was as crazy as Vicky was, but then they all were. What sane people wet out at three AM to take pictures in the bitter cold?

The four friends went to the tiny living room where Vicky had strung lights around a tripod for an impromptu Christmas tree as it was Orthodox Christmas. Skulduggery clicked his fingers and lobbed a fireball into the fireplace, obviously pleased with himself and Ruvik nodded his thanks. "See?" He said to Vicky. "He cares. Oh, here." He took an SD card out of his pocket. "That's tonight's work. I'm proud of you." He said, ruffling Vicky's hair and she giggled. He kissed his wife then sighed and stretched out on the couch with his head on her lap. "I'm having a nice nap here and now. Drag one of your old workhorses out if you want some fun." He murmured then was asleep.

Valkyrie smiled at the sight. The two argued all the time, but she'd never seen a couple as close as they were. Even if every photograph was terrible Ruvik would still praise Vicky. She wished for a moment Skulduggery was that nice, then realized he was. He never once chided her as they took out Georgia, the camera they had been owned by together in a past life out.

And as if she knew she was being though of the camera came gliding into the room in her dragon form and settled into Valkyrie's lap to go to sleep once more. Vicky smiled over at Val. "They are loyal, that's what I like best about them. And they don't judge us. Cameras think photographers are wonderful people and they all seem to think their person is the best photog ever."

"Yeah, she does, him too." Valkyrie said, nodding over at Ruvik.

"Me, I care more than anyone." Skulduggery put in nabbing Valkyrie's mobile and going through her photos. They made small talk a little bit then she and Skulduggery went back to bed. Valkyrie told Skulduggery about the photo shoot then looked at him.

"Why would she teach me like that?"

"It's her passion, like the Bentley is mine or fighting is yours. Tell me, did you notice something odd when Ruvik turned back, just for an instant?" Valkyrie nodded. She had.

"Yeah, his eyes went yellow, like a cat's. He isn't a camera, is he? But then how?"

"A very good question. When he saw through the illusion when he led your rescue team at first I thought it was as a camera or perhaps his magic. But no. I've noticed his mannerisms, I've noticed how he watches people but I never made the connection until I saw the eyes."

"So what is he?" Valkyrie asked, cuddling in.

"Tengu. Why he's hidden it from Vicky so long is a mystery, but she's married to a spirit legendary for being the guardian of the martial arts and a slayer of vanity. I'd say he likes a crow form for all the black he wears. God help anyone who makes him angry enough to use his real magic."

"But tengu don't exist." Valkyrie tried, but she knew he was right. It explained other things she'd seen as well. Sometimes she's see a flash of red skin on Ruvik that vanished or his hair would have wispy white strands in it. He was holding the illusion of being a man and a camera for Vicky, but she knew the illusion would fail one day and she hoped their love would endure.

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><p><strong>Cliffy forevers.<strong>


End file.
